A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to paging systems and, more particularly, to systems and methods for transmitting messages from a pager.
B. Description of Related Art
Over the last several decades, pagers have become important communication devices for contacting remotely-situated persons. The conventional paging systems were one-way systems. That is, the user received a paging message, usually including the paging party""s telephone number or a brief message, from a central terminal, but had no way of responding to that message with the pager. If the user wanted to respond to the message in the conventional paging systems, the user needed to locate a telephone to call the paging party.
In more modern conventional paging systems, pagers, known as two-way pagers, have the capability of providing a response to a paging message. The response, however, typically takes the form of an acknowledgment. Other conventional systems permit the paged party to send a reply. The paging service typically stores the reply and requires the paging party to remember a confirmation number that the party can later use to determine if the paged party has left a reply to a paging message at the paging service.
As a result, a need exists for a paging system that permits a user to reply to a paging message by sending a reply to the paging party from the pager. A need also exists for a paging system that permits a user to initiate a message to a party from a pager.
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention address these needs by permitting a user to reply to paging messages and to initiate messages from a pager.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a system facilitates two-way messaging in a network that includes at least one paging device. The system includes a paging service provider and a server. The paging device generates a message intended for a called party and transmits the message to the paging service provider. The paging service provider forwards the message to the server. The server translates the message to a form used by the called party and sends the translated message to the called party.
In another implementation consistent with the present invention, a system includes a paging service provider and a server. The paging service provider receives a paging message from a paging party, delivers the paging message to a paging device, and receives a reply message from the paging device. The server receives the reply message from the paging service provider, translates the reply message to a form used by the paging party, and sends the translated reply message to the paging party.
In yet another implementation consistent with the present invention, a paging apparatus includes an input device and a processor. The input device generates a message and contact information for a called party through operation by a user of the paging apparatus. The processor receives the message and contact information from the input device and transmits the message to the called party using the contact information.